Saturday, May 02, 2009

Let your audience pick the (entire) season

Some companies play with this idea on a minor scale...but an entire season? Theatre Royal Stratford East introduces a unique audience-building scheme. Curious to see how this will play out. WWPD?

"Audiences will be able to choose both the productions which take place and “the pattern of the work” - meaning the season could feature three or four large shows, or several smaller ones. These could be revivals that have taken place at Stratford East, or elsewhere, or new works." The Stage...

4 comments:

Gary O'Brien, at the Oregon Stage Company (when thet were out at the Rock Creek Campus), did just such a thing back in the mid-nineties. He called it a "Season of Favorites" and had his audience pick their favorite Murder Mystery, their favorite Comedy, and their favorite Classical Piece. If I recall correctly he did THE MOUSETRAP, LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS, and AS YOU LIKE IT. It was the most successful season the company ever had.